39 Acknowledged

Universities Scotland have noted that a strong component of Scottish universities’ internationalisation strategy has been...

Conclusion
Universities Scotland have noted that a strong component of Scottish universities’ internationalisation strategy has been their drive to increase the number of international students: each year more than 58,000 international students from 180 countries (including from the EU) study in Scotland.95 In 2018, this made up about a quarter of the total student population.96 The RSE Young Academy of Scotland informed us that, as a result, Scotland has a high proportion of international students relative to other OECD countries, with the net economic impact of international students for Scotland estimated to be £1.94bn in 2016.97
Government Response Summary
The government acknowledged the importance of internationalisation and responded by detailing its UK-wide International Education Strategy, which aims to increase international students and education exports, noting that the target of 600,000 international students per year by 2030 has already been met.
Government Response
Acknowledged
HM Government Acknowledged
In February 2021, the UK Government published an update to the International Education Strategy, recommitting to the ambitions of the original strategy. These ambitions are to sustainably increase international students in the UK to 600,000 per year, and increase the value of education exports to £35 billion per year, both by 2030. This update set out a number of new actions aimed at supporting the sector’s path from pandemic recovery, back to sustainable growth. We are making good progress against the ambitions. International enrolments increased by 9% in the 2020 to 2021 academic year, with a total of 605,130 compared with 556,625 for the previous academic year. With this we have now met the Government’s ambition for the first time of hosting at least 600,000 international students per year by 2030.
Addressee Bodies
Scotland Office
Timeline
Recommendation age 5.2 yrs
Report published 28 May 2021